The Construction of Normality: Biopolitics and Control
The Standard Human: Statistical Fictions and Biopolitical Control
Thesis: The standard human is a constructed ideal shaped by processes of statistical classification and biopolitical control. Using concepts like l’homme moyen and biopolitics, we can see how bureaucracies and infrastructures defined “normality,” excluded those who didn’t fit, and upheld systems of power that continue to regulate bodies today.
1. Statistical Norms and the Average Man (L’Homme Moyen)
L’homme moyen (Adolphe
Read MoreWHO’s Health 21 Strategy: 21 Targets for Global Public Health
Global Health Development and the ‘Health for All’ Movement
- In 1977, the World Health Assembly established a major social goal for governments and the WHO: the attainment by all people of the world by the year 2000 of a level of health that would allow them to lead a socially and economically productive life.
- In 1981, the Assembly unanimously adopted the Global Strategy for ‘Health for All’ by the Year 2000. This marked the birth of the “Health for All” movement.
- “Health for All” does not
Assistive Devices in Rehabilitation: Orthotics, Prosthetics, and Psychological Adjustment
Prescribing Appliances in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
In Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR), the prescription of appliances such as orthotics and prosthetics plays a vital role in enhancing mobility, function, and independence in individuals with temporary or permanent physical impairments. These assistive devices are essential tools in the rehabilitation process, designed to support, align, prevent, or correct deformities, and to replace lost limbs or body parts.
Understanding Orthotics
Orthotics
Read MoreUpper Limb Prosthetics: Harness Systems and Amputation Levels
Prosthetic Harness Systems: Control and Function
A **harness system** is a critical component of body-powered prostheses, particularly for upper limb amputees. It enables users to control their prosthetic device through movements of their shoulders, residual limb, or other body parts.
Components of a Harness System
- ***Harness***: A flexible or rigid framework that fits around the user’s body, typically the shoulders, chest, or residual limb.
- ***Cables***: Connect the harness to the prosthetic device,
Amputee Rehabilitation: Stump Shaping, Prosthetics, and Mobility Training
Post-Amputation Care and Rehabilitation
The proper management of the residual limb (stump) following amputation is a critical component of post-operative care. Meticulous bandaging, combined with the appropriate use of prosthetics and orthotics, supports healing, controls swelling, and prepares the limb for functional independence.
Foundational Role of Stump Bandaging
Stump bandaging is not merely a wound care measure; it plays a foundational role in prosthetic success. It helps control edema, shape
Read MoreEssential Pharmacology: Mechanisms and Drug Classes
Oral Hypoglycemic Agents (OHAs)
Oral Hypoglycemic Agents (OHAs) are medications taken by mouth to help lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. They work by stimulating the pancreas to produce more insulin, improving the body’s sensitivity to insulin, or slowing down the absorption of glucose from the digestive tract.
Types of Oral Hypoglycemic Agents
Sulfonylureas
These stimulate the pancreas to release more insulin (e.g., glipizide, glyburide).
Meglitinides
Similar to sulfonylureas,